Rapid Environmental Contamination With Candida auris and Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens Near Colonized...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Environmental Microbiology
• Healthcare Epidemiology

Background:

• Environmental contamination is a key factor in Candida auris transmission.
• Understanding post-disinfection contamination dynamics is crucial for effective environmental cleaning protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the speed and risk of environmental contamination by Candida auris after room disinfection.
• To assess the association between patient colonization and surface contamination.
• To evaluate co-contamination with bacterial multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

Main Methods:

• Prospective multicenter study involving 6 skilled nursing facilities and 1 acute care hospital.
• Sampling of 5 body sites from known C. auris carriers and nearby room surfaces before and at multiple time points after disinfection.
• Culture-based analysis for C. auris and bacterial MDROs, with statistical analysis using generalized estimating equations.

Main Results:

• C. auris colonization was frequent on palms/fingertips (76%) and nares (71%).
• 32.2% of surfaces were contaminated before disinfection, and 20.5% remained contaminated by 4 hours post-disinfection.
• Increased C. auris-colonized body sites correlated with higher environmental contamination odds. Co-contamination with MDROs was also observed.

Conclusions:

• Candida auris rapidly re-contaminates healthcare environments post-disinfection, posing significant challenges.
• Further research into long-acting disinfectants, antimicrobial surfaces, and improved patient antisepsis is needed to reduce environmental reservoirs.